Chamelea
New Member
Hello everyone! I just joined today
After a lot of thinking and researching, I have decided to buy a juvenile Veiled Chameleon But before I do, I have a few questions first to help me prepare 100%
1: The enclosure
I already have an enclosure ready, but have yet to decorate it. Would it be alright if I used artificial plants/vines, or is it strongly recommended that I use live ones? And if I do have fake ones in there, the chameleon wouldn't try to eat it, would it? And how thick should the branches be?
2: Humidity
What are your opinions on keeping a fogger in the terrarium? (in addition to misting several times a day with a spray bottle). I was a bit concerned that he would accidentally fall into the water where the fogger is, and drown. But it would also help keep the humidity. Also, should I use a water conditioner/stress coat in the water that I use to mist the cage with? And would it be okay to use that in the water for the fogger too?
3: Heat Lamp
What is the best kind of heat lamp to use? Should I use a bulb or a tube? (I plan on using a tube for the UVA/UVB) and does the heat lamp need to be replaced every 6 months as well, or does it last for however long the light does? What is the recommended wattage, considering the cage is 12 inches tall and so there won't be that much space to keep it the proper distance from the basking spot (I plan to upgrade to a bigger cage when the Chameleon gets bigger).
4: Diet
What is your opinion on feeding him a staple diet of silkworms and superworms? How long/thick should the worms be for a juvenile chameleon, and how many should he eat a day? Once he is 6 months old, then how many should he eat a day? Do you gutload worms the same way you do with crickets? Or do they eat differently? What in your experience do you think is a good and yummy treat to give your chameleon on a special occassion? Do they care for veggies at all? And if so, what is the healthiest to feed them? What is bad to feed them? Would it disturb their digestive system to give them a treat like that? Or should I just stick with the silkworms and superworms?
5: Suppliments
How often should their food be supplimented with calcium if it contains vitamin B3? How often should it be supplimented with other vitamins? And what is the recommended suppliment to use for vitamins? Which vitamins should I be cautious of?
Sorry to overload you guys with all these newbie questions xD I greatly appreciate you taking the time to read and answer them!
Any additional advice for a first-time owner is very welcomed!
After a lot of thinking and researching, I have decided to buy a juvenile Veiled Chameleon But before I do, I have a few questions first to help me prepare 100%
1: The enclosure
I already have an enclosure ready, but have yet to decorate it. Would it be alright if I used artificial plants/vines, or is it strongly recommended that I use live ones? And if I do have fake ones in there, the chameleon wouldn't try to eat it, would it? And how thick should the branches be?
2: Humidity
What are your opinions on keeping a fogger in the terrarium? (in addition to misting several times a day with a spray bottle). I was a bit concerned that he would accidentally fall into the water where the fogger is, and drown. But it would also help keep the humidity. Also, should I use a water conditioner/stress coat in the water that I use to mist the cage with? And would it be okay to use that in the water for the fogger too?
3: Heat Lamp
What is the best kind of heat lamp to use? Should I use a bulb or a tube? (I plan on using a tube for the UVA/UVB) and does the heat lamp need to be replaced every 6 months as well, or does it last for however long the light does? What is the recommended wattage, considering the cage is 12 inches tall and so there won't be that much space to keep it the proper distance from the basking spot (I plan to upgrade to a bigger cage when the Chameleon gets bigger).
4: Diet
What is your opinion on feeding him a staple diet of silkworms and superworms? How long/thick should the worms be for a juvenile chameleon, and how many should he eat a day? Once he is 6 months old, then how many should he eat a day? Do you gutload worms the same way you do with crickets? Or do they eat differently? What in your experience do you think is a good and yummy treat to give your chameleon on a special occassion? Do they care for veggies at all? And if so, what is the healthiest to feed them? What is bad to feed them? Would it disturb their digestive system to give them a treat like that? Or should I just stick with the silkworms and superworms?
5: Suppliments
How often should their food be supplimented with calcium if it contains vitamin B3? How often should it be supplimented with other vitamins? And what is the recommended suppliment to use for vitamins? Which vitamins should I be cautious of?
Sorry to overload you guys with all these newbie questions xD I greatly appreciate you taking the time to read and answer them!
Any additional advice for a first-time owner is very welcomed!